Mrs.
Hazeldean liked her best when she was grave, and said "she would become a very sensible woman." Mrs.Dale liked her best when she was gay, and said "she was born to make many a heart ache;" for which Mrs.Dale was properly reproved by the parson.

Mrs.Hazeldean gave her a little set of garden tools; Mrs.Dale a picture-book and a beautiful doll.

For a long time the book and the doll had the preference.

But Mrs.Hazeldean having observed to Riccabocca that the poor child looked pale, and ought to be a good deal in the open air, the wise father ingeniously pretended to Violante that Mrs.Riccabocca had taken a great fancy to the picture-book, and that he should be very glad to have the doll, upon which Violante hastened to give them both away, and was never so happy as when Mamma (as she called Mrs.Riccabocca) was admiring the picture-book, and Riccabocca with austere gravity dandled the doll.
Then Riccabocca assured her that she could be of great use to him in the garden; and Violante instantly put into movement her spade, hoe, and wheelbarrow.
This last occupation brought her into immediate contact with Mr.Leonard Fairfield; and that personage one morning, to his great horror, found Miss Violante had nearly exterminated a whole celery-bed, which she had ignorantly conceived to be a crop of weeds.
Lenny was extremely angry.

He snatched away the hoe, and said angrily, "You must not do that, Miss.